Ferdinando Zuddio Pianist

Born in Cosenza, Italy, in November 1987, he began studying music at the young age of 5. Very early he began to perform in public and on some local television stations.
In 1997 he entered the school of performing arts “Spazi Sonori” in Cosenza, Italy, where he not only studied as a piano soloist, but also as part of a chamber group, choral and piano duo

He  won numerous compititions and scholarships within his Institute and was awarded the Best Student for the 1999/2000 academic year. He had become well known by performing in various concerts at the national level in Italy, amongst those were Teatro Masaccio di San Giovanni Valdarno (AR), Teatro Ambra di Albenga (SV), Palazzo Marchetti di Malfa (Isola di Salina-Eolie), Teatro Rossini di Gioia del Colle (BA), Auditorium Domenico Sarro di Trani (BAT), and others.

Beginning in 2003 he studied with Maestro John Olaf Laneri and subsequently with Maestro Andrea Turini graduating with honors in September 2006 at 18 years of age. In the same year he also graduate from his scientific high school.

In 2007 he was awarded the international piano award “Orazio Frugoni” for having demonstrated “remarkable interpretative talent, humility towards the arts and a willingness to improve his technical and expressive capabilities”. In the same year he began his studies at the Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali “F. Vittadini “in Pavia, Italy with Maestro Andrea Turini, where he focused on musical interpretative skills, and two years later graduated summa cum laude presenting a thesis entitled” F. Chopin concerto. 2 op. 21 – History and Reception “.

He has participated in numerous master classes, studying with artists of international fame (Sergio Perticaroli, Humberto Quagliata, Maurizio Zanini, Stefano Fiuzzi, Alessandro Pinzauti).

In November 2011 he was accepted at Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome where he followed a highly specialized program in piano.  He initially studied with Maestro Sergio  Perticaroli and subsequently with  Maestro Benedetto Lupo and in June 2014 graduated with honors.

In 2012 he participated in the project “Euroclassical” in which were involved the best students of the most important European musical institutions.

He has won awards in  national and international music competitions amongst which are: first prize at the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition in Salzburg; first prize at the International Pianistic Competition in the city of Albenga (SV); first prize at the European Pianistic Competition “Pietro Argento” in Gioia del Colle (BA);  first prize at the European Pianistic Competition “Città dei Sassi” in Matera (MT); first prize at the Pianistic Competition “Paolo Agostini” in Prato; first prize at the International Music Competition “Giovani Talenti” in Voghera (PV); first prize at the Pianistic Competition “Simone D’Agostino” in Polistena (RC); second prize at the Rising Stars Grand Prix International Music Competition Berlin, second prize at the International Competition “Città di Asti”; third  prize at the International Competition “Città di Treviso”; third  prize at the International Pianistic Competition “Roberto Melini”in Trento.

He was invited to perform in prestigious halls as a soloist, with chamber groups anche orchestras throughout Italy and abroad: Wiener Saal Mozarteum (Salzburg); Philharmonie (Berlin); Auditorium Parco della Musica (Rome); Teatro Rendano, Teatro Italia, Casa delle Culture, University of Calabria, Palacultura Brutium and Seminarium Cosentinum (Cosenza); Auditorium Orpheus (Turin); Castello Sforzesco (Milan); Auditorium Monte Ripido (Perugia); Auditorium comunale (Brindisi); Palazzo de Nobili (Catanzaro); Auditorium at the Conservatory F.A. Bonporti (Trento);  Auditorium at the Conservatory E.R.Duni (Matera); Auditorium at the Conservatory ISSM F.Vittadini and University (Pavia); Villa Magni (Pistoia); Bastione Toledo (Crotone); Palazzo del Turismo (Montecatini Terme), etc.

He is founder and pianist of the “Porteno Quartet”, an ensemble that has rediscovered and, since 2013, performs and divulges different types of contemporary music.

He regularly performs with the cellist Marcello Rosa playing, in particular, a repertoire of chamber music dating from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century using instruments of that era.

Since 2015 he has taught in masterclasses and concert-lessons within the “Corsi Internazionali di Musica” at the Villa Magni in Pistoia and the Castel of  Montale, and within “Piceno Classica Festival” at San Benedetto del Tronto in Italy.

Since the academic school year 2007/2008 he has taught piano at the Institute of Musical Studies “Franco Vittadini” in Pavia, Italy.